It sure looks and feels like a sold-out night at The Triffid; despite the unseasonable November chill wisping through the steel fence, it's shoulder to shoulder moving around the venue's courtyard bar and if it's steamy out here one can only imagine what life's like inside.

Under the round hanger ceiling there is already a swell of folk here to catch Melbourne's Slowly Slowly. Thanks to recent radio airplay, the four-piece are no strangers to the rapt onlookers in front of them and tracks from their album like Deathproof and New York, Paris have a good portion of the crowd singing along. Singer Ben Stewart's clean, emotion-stained vocals and some juicy '90s riffs are melodic punk rock to a T. This year's breakout single Aliens is note-perfect in a nicely mixed set lapped up by all before them.

When you think about it, it's little wonder this run of shows was a hot-ticket item; Something For Kate have been something of a soundtrack to the daily grind of Generation X in this country. Never as commercially embraced as Powderfinger, who rose to the top 'round about the same time the Melbourne trio released their first album, Something For Kate are not so obscure that they're cordoned off to some aloof echelon for the exclusive enjoyment of a snobby type of music lover. They are embraced by many - those who love a good solid rock tune with a formidable vocal, and those who love to wrap themselves in lyrics that give voice to the best and worst in life.

It's nothing but obvious delight when Paul Dempsey and co tread the boards and launch into Anarchitect off their first album released a mere 20 years ago, under the gentle glow of trails of twinkle lights. Pinstripe and Captain (Million Miles An Hour) follow on, before the band hit the fast-forward button and whip through newer classics like Cigarettes And Suitcases and Survival Expert. The guitar mix is primo, Dempsey's raspy wails spot on and, honestly, you could take drummer Clint Hyndman and put him in any heavy band; his intensity and madman eyes during Jerry, Stand Up and the beautiful Down The Garden Path are priceless. There's not a whole lot of chit-chat from Dempsey, but when he does speak it's with genuine gratitude for tonight's attendance or to bat off jibes that they're old. His solo rendition of You Only Hide is special stuff.

The lighting goes mental for set closer Electricity and after a brief break they're back for an encore that kicks off with megahit Monsters and finishes with The Last Minute. There's no Deja-Vu, but the parting promise of more shows and an album next year is a solid consolation.